Method for manufacturing a wheel, a wheel and a wheel disc

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a wheel, particularly for use on automotive vehicles. The wheel has a wheel rim and a wheel disc connectable to each other. The method includes shaping the wheel disc, shaping the wheel rim, manufacturing the wheel disc to form a first centering element and manufacturing the wheel rim to form a second centering element. The centering elements allow the wheel disc and the wheel rim to be connectable to each other via the first and second centering elements in a centered or concentric way.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The application claims priority to PCT Application No. PCT/BR03/00062, which was filed on Apr. 28, 2003, which claims priority to Brazilian patent application no. P10201684-2, which was filed on May 8, 2002.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a wheel, particularly for use on vehicles. The wheel has a recess for connecting the wheel rim to the wheel disc without the need for additional manufacturing steps.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional stamped-steel wheels comprise a cylindrical wheel rim defining an inner wall and a substantially circular stamped wheel disc connected to the rim at an intermediate point of the rim's inner wall. The main characteristics of this type of conventional wheel are its low manufacturing cost and its attractive appearance. With the passing of time and the sophistication of the vehicle market, especially light-weight commercial and utility automobiles, the use of these conventional wheels has been reduced to low-cost vehicles or vehicles used in commercial applications where the use of wheels cast from light-metal alloys and having a more elaborate appearance and a much higher manufacture cost is not desirable or economically feasible.

To provide wheels that have a low manufacturing cost and an attractive appearance, wheels have been developed with a stamped disc having a diameter that is the maximum diameter of the wheel and fixed at the wheel rim's back surface. This style of wheel is much more attractive than conventional stamped wheels, and the manufacturing cost continues to be reduced so that wheels of this style have great potential in the consumer market.

In spite of having an attractive appearance, the question of centering the rim while fixing the rim to the disc presented difficulties. It is necessary to position the rim very carefully to fix it to the disc. Typically, the rim is fixed to the disc by welding in order to avoid manufacturing concentric wheels, which may cause uncontrollable vibrations when the vehicle moves if the wheels are off-center.

In order to facilitate centered fixation between the disc and the rim, a number of solutions have been proposed, generally constituted by concentric channels or recesses made in the disc by cutting tools. The free end of the rim is then positioned in the channels or recesses and welded. To make this preliminary fitting more precise, rims have been developed with the free end being specifically prepared by using a cutting tool.

In spite of achieving their objectives, these solutions result in additional manufacturing steps, incurring a higher production cost due to the need for additional machinery and personnel, wear of the cutting tools, material waste, and added time spent producing the wheel. Moreover, the larger the number of steps for manufacturing the wheel increases the chances of manufacturing flaws.

In this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,482 discloses a wheel provided with a rim associated with the upper surface of a disc. The upper surface of the disc is shaped in a mechanical shaping to remove material, forming a cavity in the region where the rim is associated. Additionally, in this wheel the free end of the rim also undergoes a similar shaping process by means of a cutting tool, which brings about a perfect fit between the disc and the rim. In addition, a surface is configured to serve as a stop for indicating a perfect fitting. As expected, this wheel has a considerably high manufacturing cost due to the large number of steps required for manufacturing the wheel.

Brazilian patent application P1 9916810, corresponding to PCT US99130165, discloses a wheel rim having a free end turned inward, defining a flange. The flange surface interfaces with the disc and is completely parallel to the corresponding disc surface to allow correct centering. Although less effective than the structure disclosed in the document discussed in the preceding paragraph, similar solutions may further be found in document U.S. 2001/0038238.

Thus, there is a desire for a wheel that allows centering of the rim on the disc without requiring additional manufacturing steps.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has the objective of providing a method of manufacturing a wheel that has a disc with a centering element for fixing a rim in the correct position without requiring additional manufacturing steps. Also, the invention has the objective of providing a wheel and a wheel disc obtained by the manufacturing method disclosed herein.

The objectives of the present invention are achieved by means of a method of manufacturing a wheel, particularly for use on automotive vehicles, the wheel comprising a wheel rim and a wheel disc connectable with each other.

The method of producing the wheel includes shaping the wheel disc, shaping the wheel rim, manufacturing a wheel disc to form a first centering element and manufacturing a wheel rim to form a second centering element.

In one embodiment, the first centering element is an annular recess in the wheel disc and the second centering element is an annular projection in the wheel rim. The annular recess engages the annular projection to center the wheel rim on the wheel disc. The wheel rim and wheel disc are fixed together by welding.

The present invention has the advantage of enabling one to manufacture a stamped wheel composed of a wheel disc and a wheel rim, which may be easily arranged in a centered or concentric way, by virtue of the centering elements. The centering elements may be made during the mechanical shaping of the wheel rim and the wheel disc. Subsequent manufacturing steps are dispensed with, which results in lower manufacturing costs for the wheel.

These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present will now be described in greater detail with reference to an embodiment represented in the drawings. The figures show:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-section view of a stamped wheel of the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the wheel illustrated in FIG. 1 in an intermediate step of its manufacturing method before completion;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-section view of the wheel disc and wheel rim of the present invention, before the disc and rim are connected together; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-section view of the wheel of the present invention, after the disc and rim are connected together.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

According to a one embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the integrated wheel 1 of the present invention comprises a substantially circular wheel disc 3 to which a substantially cylindrical or truncated cone-shaped wheel rim 2 is fixed. The wheel rim 2 has a first free end 8, which has a first wheel flange (not shown). Preferably, the wheel rim 2 has a substantially truncated cone-shape.

The wheel flange of the wheel rim 2 protrudes from the wheel rim and has a substantially J-shaped curved profile. The wheel flange free tip being substantially perpendicular to the rest of the wheel flange body.

In one embodiment, the wheel rim 2 is made from carbon steel, being obtained by a mechanical shaping lamination step. However, the wheel rim 2 may be made in other ways as well as built from materials other than carbon steel and may have shapes other than cylindrical or truncated-cone shapes. The only requirement is that the wheel rim 2 enables one to build the wheel 1 described.

The first free end 8 of the wheel rim 2 extends from the wheel rim side wall 20 and defines a substantially annular surface. In the preferred embodiment, the first free end 8 is slightly facing the inside of the wheel rim 2 and has a substantially pointed end, configuring a centering element. The centering element preferably has an annular projection 5 having a triangular cross-section. It is in reality an angular piece, constituted by the wheel rim 2 itself, without the need for any other step of mechanical shaping. However, the centering element may have other shapes, sizes and/or configurations (e.g. a segmented shape) that enable it to function in the manner explained below.

The wheel disc 3 is preferably substantially cylindrical and may be made from carbon steel by the stamping process. The wheel disc 3 has an end region 6 that embraces the wheel disc free end. A second wheel flange analogous to that of the wheel rim 2 projects from the wheel disc free end.

The wheel disc 3 further has an association region 7 adjacent to the end region 6. The association region 6 comprises a centering element that is preferably a recess 4 having a substantially triangular cross-section, to cooperate with the projection 5 of the wheel rim 2. Of course, the association region 7 may be located at another point, for instance close to the wheel disc 3 end or positioned in a more central location.

Preferably, the recess 4 is substantially annular; however, it may be segmented or have another shape/geometry or amount. The only basic requirement is that the recess 4 cooperates with the projection 5. That is to say, the projection 5 and the recess 4 should engage each other.

Another requirement is that both the recess 4 and the projection 5 are concentric with the rest of the wheel disc 3 and the wheel rim 2, respectively. This condition is indispensable to characterize these two elements as centering elements. If the connection between the wheel disc 3 and the wheel rim 2 is conducted in an eccentric fashion, the resultant wheel 1 is inherently unbalanced, and cannot not be used; otherwise, vibrations and loss of control of the vehicle equipped with the eccentric wheel may occur. In short, a wheel 1 having an eccentric connection between the wheel disc 3 and the wheel rim 2 is a product that should be obligatorily rejected or reworked.

For merely descriptive purposes, the recess 4 located in the wheel disc 3 will be called a first centering element, and the projection 5 of the wheel rim 2 will be called a second centering element.

After the correct positioning between the recess 4 and the projection 5, preferably fitted to each other, a fixation between the wheel rim 2 and the wheel disc 3 is necessary so that the wheel 1 can be stabilized. Preferably, fixation is effected by welding by depositing a weld cord 9. One may evidently use other joining elements such as screws, rivets, adhesives, etc. In short, both the first the second centering elements play the role of a template, facilitating the correct positioning between the wheel disc 3 and the wheel rim 2 before they are connected together.

By way of description only, the wheel flange located on the wheel disc 3 constitutes the region where the wheel disc diameter is maximum. The two wheel flanges and the side wall 20 of the wheel rim 2 define a groove (not shown) into which a tire (not shown) is placed so that the side wall of the tire close to the wheel rim 2 opening is supported by the two wheel flanges. Because the wheel flanges have the profile described above, and because they project from the end region of the wheel rim 2 and of the wheel disc 3, they are substantially annular in shape.

Additionally, in spite of not being detailed in the figures, the disc 3 has a central region associable to a wheel hub of the vehicle, preferably by means of at least one bore for inserting a wheel screw. Optionally, a concentric bore may be used to enable positioning of the tip of the vehicle axle (not shown). Further preferably, but not obligatorily, aesthetic and functional windows are provided to contribute to the ventilation of the brakes and to improve the appearance of the wheel 1.

The method of manufacturing the wheel 1 of the present invention comprises a number of steps, which are listed below:

-   -   (i) shaping the wheel disc 3, which, as already mentioned, is         preferably but not obligatorily carried out by stamping;     -   (ii) shaping the wheel rim 2, which, as already mentioned, is         preferably but not obligatorily carried out by lamination;     -   (iii) connecting the first centering element(s) on the wheel         disc 3 and the second centering element(s) on the wheel rim 2;         and     -   (iv) conducting final engagement between the wheel disc 3 and         the wheel rim 2.

In the method described here, both the first and the second centering elements, which are preferably the recess 4 and the projection 5, are made during the process of shaping the wheel disc 3 and the wheel rim 2, respectively. This means that, in the preferred case, the recess 4 is configured in the stamping piece that will form the wheel disc 3, while the projection 5 is configured in on the lamination equipment that will form the wheel rim 2. There is no obligatory order for shaping the wheel disc 3 and the wheel rim 2. The wheel disc 3 and the wheel rim 2 may be shaped at the same time or both steps may occur independently, producing the wheel disc 3 and the wheel rim 2, which only then will be joined to facilitate the carrying-out of the subsequent steps (iii) and (iv).

The step (iii) of connecting the disc and the rim together comprises positioning and fitting the projection 5 into the recess 4, positioning the wheel rim 2 on the wheel disc 3 concentrically so as not to require any other means for correctly positioning both components.

Finally, the step (iv) of final connection between the wheel disc 3 and the wheel rim 2 preferably comprises welding these components to each other by means of a welding cord 9. Other procedures may be used in this step, such as fixation by means of screws, rivets, fitting, using adhesives or other means.

Preferably, but not obligatorily, the step (i) of the method of manufacturing wheels described here shape the wheel disc 3 and locate the recess 4 in a substantially intermediate association region 7 of the wheel disc 3 as already described before.

Also preferably, the step (ii) of the method of manufacturing wheels described here shapes a wheel rim 2, the projection 5 of which is located in a free end region of the wheel rim 2, which has also been mentioned before. However, this positioning of the projection 5 is not required in the invention.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an integrated wheel 100 of the prior art, which comprises a rim 200 and a disc 300 joined to each other by means of a welding cord 9. As can be seen in the drawings, additional manufacturing steps are necessary to made the recess 400 and the rim projection 200. FIG. 2 shows the portion of material 500 that should be removed from the wheel during its manufacture, which may be achieved by using a cutting tool. The disadvantages of this system are explained above.

Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention. 

1. A method of manufacturing a wheel comprising: a) shaping the wheel disc; b) shaping the wheel rim; and c) manufacturing the wheel disc to form at least one first centering element and manufacturing the wheel rim to form at least one second centering element.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein step a) comprises stamping the wheel disc.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein step b) comprises laminating the wheel rim.
 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step c) includes forming a substantially annular recess in the wheel disc to form said at least one centering element.
 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said step c) includes forming a substantially annular projection in the wheel rim to form said at least one second centering element.
 6. The method according to claim 4, including locating the annular recess in a substantially intermediate association region of the wheel disc.
 7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising locating the substantially annular projection in a free end region of the wheel rim.
 8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising fitting one of said at least one first and second centering elements into the other of said at least one first and second centering elements.
 9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising welding the wheel disc to the wheel rim.
 10. A wheel comprising: a wheel disc having a first centering element; and a wheel rim having a second centering element, wherein the wheel disc and the wheel rim are connectable to each other via the first and second connecting elements.
 11. The wheel according to claim 10, wherein the first centering element comprises a substantially annular recess.
 12. The wheel according to claim 10, wherein the second centering element comprises a substantially annular projection.
 13. The wheel according to claim 11, wherein the substantially annular recess is located in a substantially intermediate association region of the wheel disc.
 14. The wheel according to claim 12, wherein the substantially annular projection is located in a free end region of the wheel rim.
 15. The wheel according to claim 10, wherein the first centering element is fixed to the second centering element.
 16. The wheel according to claim 15, wherein the wheel rim and the wheel disc are welded together in a vicinity of the first centering element and the second centering element.
 17. A method of manufacturing a wheel disc comprising; a) shaping a wheel disc; and b) manufacturing the wheel disc to form at least one first centering element in a substantially central area of the wheel disc.
 18. The wheel disc according to claim 17, wherein the first centering element comprises a substantially annular recess.
 19. The wheel disc according to claim 18, wherein the annular recess is located in a substantially intermediate association region of the wheel disc.
 20. The wheel disc according to claim 17, wherein the first centering element is connectable to a second centering element on a wheel rim. 